Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1942, General; the British Commonwealth; the Far East, Volume I

340.1115A/2586: Telegram

The Minister in Switzerland (Harrison) to the Secretary of State

Bern, April 23, 1942.
[Received April 23—10:53 a.m.]

1668. American interests—exchange negotiations, Germany. Department’s 816 March 28, and Legation’s 1533, April 15, section 5, paragraph l.⁸⁵ Swiss Foreign Office states that according to letter of April 17 from Swiss Legation, Berlin, German authorities propose to require from American citizens repatriated on Drottningholm and capable performing military service, the promise that they will not bear arms for duration of war in conformity with section 5, paragraph 7 of Department’s telegram 816. German authorities however, are disposed only to require the making of this promise from men of the classes 1900 to 1923 namely aged 18 to 45.

Harrison

85. Latter not printed; the paragraph under reference contained statement that the German Government considered the proposed limitation of the American Government that certain persons, for reasons of national interest, could be excluded from the exchange as unnecessary, and hoped that both sides, would remove this limitation (340.1115A/2558).